Hockey Trade Rumors

Shortly after the NHL lockout ended five years ago, the Detroit Red Wings general manager concluded that, in the salary-cap world, investing huge dollars in goaltending was counter-productive. The best way to build a champion, he believed, was to identify your core group, commit your payroll there, then find a serviceable goalie at a lower price.

Read more: http://www.theprovin…l#ixzz1KYcQeOuJ

Now, 6 years after the Lockout, What about a look over this statement ?

1 – a look at the Stanley cup winner/Finalist and the salary of their Goalies #01 since the lockout.

2006: Carolina – Ward (684 000$) / Edmonton – Roloson (1 672 000$)
2007: Anaheim – Giguere (3 990 000$) / Ottawa – Emery (925 000$)
2008: Detroit – Osgood (800 000$) / Pittsburg – Fleury (1 3000 000$)
2009: Pittsburg – Fleury (5 000 000$ / Detroit – Osgood (1 500 000$)
2010: Chicago – Niemi (826 875$) / Philadelphia – Leighton (600 000$)

– only 2 out of 10 teams made it to the final with a high paid goalie.
– the other 8 finalists made it with an under average paid goalie.
– Half of them with a near minimum wage goalie.

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2 – The 2010-2011 Ranking according to % of budget allowed for goalie.

Source: http://www.nhlnumber…rder=desc&year=

Here is the top 10 teams that allowed the most of their budget on Goaltending and their final ranking

Rank / % of their budget on Goalie / Final ranking

1 – Flo / 14.22% / 28Th
2 – Min / 13.89% / 21Th
3 – Car / 13.33% / 19Th
4 – NYR / 13.32% / 18Th / playoff exit in 1st round
5 – Tor / 12.92% / 22TH
6 – BUF / 12.49% / 15Th / Playoff
7 – NYI / 11.37% / 27Th
8 – STL / 10.49% / 20Th
9 – NJD / 10.34% / 23Th
10- CGY / 9.99% / 17Th

Well, out of the top ten teams, only 2 barely made it to the playoff, the NYR find an early exit and only buffalo had chance to make it past the first round.

The top 10 team that allow the least of their budget on Goalies ?

1 – Chi / 3.52% / 13Th / Playoff
2 – Col / 3.63% / 29Th
3 – Was / 3.79% / 02nd / playoff 2nd Round
4 – CLB / 3.95% / 24Th
5 – Det / 4.15% / 06Th / Playoff 2nd Round
6 – LAK / 4.43% / 12Th / Playoff
7 – Phi / 5.64% / 03Th / Playoff
8 – TBL / 5.91% / 08Th / Playoff
9 – Atl / 643% / 25Th
10- MTL / 6.03% / 14Th / Playoff

At this point we can talk about a negative Correlation between % of budget allowed on Goalie and ranking.
The 2 firsts teams that make it to the 2nd round of playoff are in the top 5 that allow the least for Goalie.

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3 – A look on every high contract since the lockout:

* 2006-2007 *

– Rick DiPietro: 15 years x 4.500.00$
Did it worth it?: Not yet
Everything about dipietro have been said already.

– Marty Turco: 4 years x 5.700.000$
Did it worth it? Probably
Before the Contract: made the playoff in 2004 and 2006
After the contract: made the playoff in 2007, conference final in 2008, but missed the playoff in 2009 and 2010.

– Evgeni Nabokov – 4 years x 5.300.000$
Did it worth it? probably, but Pretty much the same result, before/after his contract, or with Niemi.

* 2007-2008 *

– Jean-Sébastien Giguère: 4 years x 6.000.000$
Did it worth it?: No, an Horrible contract, he lost his starting job and was shipped to Toronto.

– Tomáš Vokoun: 3 years x 5.500.000$
Did it worth it?: Florida still missed the playoff every years.

– Manny Fernandez: 2 years x 4.600.000$ ?
Did it worth it?: Not really, he Only played 32 games

* 2008-2009 *

– Vesa Toskala 2 x 4.000.000$
Did it worth it? He lost is confidence in toronto

– Ryan Miller: 6 Years x 6.250.000$ / 2008-2009
Did it worth it? Probably, but Buffalo Struggle a bit more to make the playoff since they put more money on him.
Before: 2 playoff Second round
After: Miss the playoff in 2009, A second round in 2010, Still there in 2011.

– Miikka Kiprusoff: 6 years x 5.833.333$
Did it worth it? No, It sound like a mistake.
Before The Contract: a cup final in 2004, they make the playoff every other years
After the contract: they make the playoff in 2009, they didnt make it in 2010 and 2011.

– Cristobal Huet: 4 Years x 5.625.000
Did it worth it? Horrible contract he lost his #01 and cleared waiver.

– Josée Theodore 2 years x 4.500.000$
Did it worth it? washington made it to the playoff, but Theodore lost his starting job in each playoff.

– Marc andreé Fleury: 7 years x 5.000.000 / 2008-2009
Did it worth it? They won the cup!

– Nikolai Khabibulin:4 years x 6.500.000$
Did it worth it? One conference final, but missed the playoff 3 time out of 4.

* 2009-2010 *

– Henrick Lundqvist: 6 Years x 6.875.000$ / 2009-2010
Did it worth it? NYR Struggle more to make the playoff since this contract and they didnt make it past the first round.
Before: in the playoff every year, 2 second round
After: Miss the playoff 2010, exit 1st round 2011

– Tim Thomas: 4 years x 5.000.000$ / 2009-2010
Did it worth it? I let you judge, He Lost his #01 job in 2010, but he is a Vezina candidate in 2011, boston made it to the 2nd round in 2010 but without Thomas in the goal.

– Roberto Luongo 12 years x 5.333.333$ / 2009-2010
Did it worth it? Let’s wait some years before judging, would they be better with Schneider and put luongo money to improve upfront?

– Niklas Bäckström: 4 years x 6.000.000$ / 2009-2010
Did it worth it? probably not
Before the Contract: MIN made the playoff
After the Contract: MIN didnt made the playoff

* 2009-2010 *

– Cam Ward: 6 years x 6.300.000$ / 2010-2011
Did it Worth it? lets wait some years, but probably not
Before the contract: A stanley cup / conference final in 2005-2006
After the contract: Carolina miss the playoff in 2010-2011

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Conclusion: Even actual GM in the league would Argue about if it worth it or not!

They showed by their actions that there is different mentality out there, some GM invest a fortune in goalies and some don’t seem to care about it.

Since the lockout, we have no choice but to admit that the cheap goalie mentality had more success, stanley cup finalist alone show it.

But is the past a good indication of the future?

The cap is increasing, the new TV contract will give more budget to some teams, some goalie will retire, new one will appears.
Every new season bring new parameters. The best GM are the one able to adapt.

My personal prediction: for the next 4-5 years, the teams allowing the highest % of their budget on goalies will continue to struggle as the other teams will have a slight edge over them.
beyond that, its everyone guess, the market can change.